# SSPC-SP, NACE No. and WJ

Source: https://coatmentor.com/standards/sspc-surface-preparation/ · Updated 2026-10-04

The surface preparation standards: solvent, hand and power tool, blast and waterjet cleaning.

**Publisher**: AMPP (originally SSPC and NACE)

**Area**: Surface preparation and conditions

The SSPC surface preparation standards, several published jointly with NACE and now maintained by AMPP, each define one method and its end condition.

| Standard | Method or grade |
| --- | --- |
| SSPC-SP 1 | Solvent cleaning: oil, grease and soluble contaminants, before other methods |
| SSPC-SP 2 / SP 3 | Hand tool / power tool cleaning: loose material removed |
| SSPC-SP 15 | Commercial-grade power tool cleaning |
| SSPC-SP 11 | Power tool cleaning to bare metal, with a profile |
| SSPC-SP 5 / NACE No. 1 | White metal blast cleaning |
| SSPC-SP 10 / NACE No. 2 | Near-white metal blast cleaning |
| SSPC-SP 6 / NACE No. 3 | Commercial blast cleaning |
| SSPC-SP 14 / NACE No. 8 | Industrial blast cleaning |
| SSPC-SP 7 / NACE No. 4 | Brush-off blast cleaning |
| SSPC-SP 16 | Brush-off blast cleaning of galvanized steel, stainless steel and non-ferrous metals |
| WJ-1 to WJ-4 | Waterjet cleaning, from clean to bare substrate (WJ-1) to light cleaning (WJ-4) |

The SSPC-VIS guides hold the reference photographs. The ISO 8501-1 grades are close counterparts. They use Sa 3 for SP 5 and Sa 2½ for SP 10. They use Sa 2 for SP 6 and Sa 1 for SP 7.

**Use it:** [Cleanliness grades: SSPC / NACE vs ISO](https://coatmentor.com/blog/surface-prep-cleanliness-grades-sspc-iso)

**45** practice items in the members area mention SSPC-SP, NACE No. and WJ (CIP 1: 24 · CIP 2: 21).

## Related

- **Concepts:** [Surface cleanliness grades](https://coatmentor.com/learn/surface-cleanliness/) · [Waterjetting and flash rust](https://coatmentor.com/learn/waterjetting/)
- **Standards:** [ISO 8501](https://coatmentor.com/standards/iso-8501/) · [ASTM D4285](https://coatmentor.com/standards/astm-d4285/)
- **Defects:** [Cratering (fish eyes)](https://coatmentor.com/defects/cratering/) · [Crawling and cissing](https://coatmentor.com/defects/crawling/) · [Flash rusting](https://coatmentor.com/defects/flash-rusting/)

## About this page

**Also published openly:** [SurfacePrep: SSPC/NACE surface preparation standards](https://surfaceprep.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Surface-Preparation-Standards-FINAL.pdf).

This page describes the subject of SSPC-SP, NACE No. and WJ in our own words; it does not reproduce the standard. For the full text, buy the current edition from AMPP. Checked on 2026-10-04; errors go in the [corrections log](https://coatmentor.com/method/). CoatMentor is an independent study aid. It is not affiliated with ISO, AMPP, SSPC, NACE International, ASTM or FROSIO.